Isle of Arran 9yo (61.3%, SMWS, 121.51, 642 Bts., Sherry, Refill Butt, 2002/2011

Rich dark fruits on the undiluted nose followed by some very good sweetness (warm syrup or warmed brown sugar in the pan just before the butter goes in. A little bit of sweet n’ sour going on. Tobacco finished marmalade (OK, OK, that was made up but very evocative, no?) and some slight moments of malt in the back ground. A little espresso for good measure and fruit cake. All very rich and redolent. The taste is warming, very big and not so much the fruit and sweetness as green malt, rich, rich grains, a good dose of tobacco (unlit but cured), some really good dark chocolate and some good Arran characteristic malt. A little bit of the sourness but more of the richness. Delicious and mouth smacking. The finish brings out more richness and some malt but still it’s very big and very long. More of the mouth smacking but this time all down to the malt. Long, active and good.
Only 642 bottles? What a pity. Quite excellent without water; with water it calms down and becomes quite syrupy and sweeter. Really quite jolly jolly.Actually very similar to the Sleeping Warrior…

$109

Score 89 points

Part 2 of 4 featuring Isle of Arran Whiskies